Operating facility for a CNC control system for controlling a machine tool with a rotary controller

Abstract

An operating facility for a CNC control system controls a machine tool with a plurality of machine axes. A tool inserted into a tool receptacle of a tool spindle can be displaced relative to a workpiece and/or rotated about a tool spindle axis. A rotary controller manually operated by an operator can set a feed rate with which the tool is moved relative to the workpiece and/or a spindle rotary speed. A graphical user interface is used to adjust the effect of an operating action carried out by the rotary controller on the feed rate or the spindle rotary speed. This improves the flexibility with regard to adaptation to the requirements of the individual user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An operating facility for a CNC control system for controlling a machine tool which comprises a plurality of machine axes configured to displace or rotate a tool inserted into a tool receptacle of a tool spindle relative to a workpiece, the operating facility comprising:
 at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller manually operated by an operator of the operating facility by rotating a rotary knob of the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller and which is configured to have the operator manually set a feed rate with which the tool is moved relative to the workpiece or a rotary speed of the tool spindle; and 
 a graphical user interface configured to set an effect of an operating action on the feed rate or the spindle rotary speed carried out by the operator using the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller, wherein actuation of the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller sets a rotary angle of the rotary knob, and wherein for the setting the effect of the operating action, a relationship between a rotation angle and a percentage set value is specified by a characteristic line, with the percentage set value determining a relationship between a programmed feed rate or a programmed spindle rotary speed and an actual feed rate or an actual spindle rotary speed, wherein the operator selects in a selection menu of the graphical user interface one characteristic line from a number of characteristic lines, with the selected characteristic line determining the relationship between the rotation angle and the percentage set value. 
 
     
     
       2. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein a predetermined operating function specifying a relationship between the operating function and the percentage set value is executed by at least one predetermined operating action. 
     
     
       3. The operating facility of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one predetermined operating action is an operating sequence. 
     
     
       4. The operating facility of  claim 2 , wherein different operating actions or operating sequences are assigned to different operating functions. 
     
     
       5. The operating facility of  claim 4 , wherein the different operating actions or operating sequences are individually configured or learned. 
     
     
       6. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein the selected characteristic line is configured using graphical aids. 
     
     
       7. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic line has an at least partially smooth or an at least partially stepped shape, or both. 
     
     
       8. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic line covers a rotation angle range of greater than 360° or a negative rotation angle. 
     
     
       9. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein different rotation angle ranges are assigned to different operating functions. 
     
     
       10. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein negative percentage set values are assigned to negative rotation angles, with a rotation direction of the tool spindle or a movement direction of the tool becoming reversed in relation to non-negative rotation angle ranges. 
     
     
       11. The operating facility of  claim 1 , wherein the effect of the operating action carried out by the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller on the feed rate or the spindle rotary speed is specified dependent upon a function executed by the machine tool. 
     
     
       12. A method for operating a machine tool, which comprises a plurality of machine axes configured to displace or rotate a tool inserted into a tool receptacle of a tool spindle relative to a workpiece controlled by a CNC control system and which further comprises an operating facility, the method comprising:
 manually operating by an operator of the operating facility at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller configured to be manually set by the operator by rotating a rotary knob of the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller a feed rate with which the tool is moved relative to the workpiece and/or a spindle rotary speed; 
 setting on a graphical user interface of the operating facility an effect of an operating action on the feed rate or the spindle rotary speed carried out by the operator using the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller, wherein actuation of the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller sets a rotary angle of the rotary knob, and wherein for the setting the effect of the operating action, a relationship between a rotation angle and a percentage set value is specified by a characteristic line, with the percentage set value determining a relationship between a programmed feed rate or a programmed spindle rotary speed and an actual feed rate or an actual spindle rotary speed, wherein the operator selects in a selection menu of the graphical user interface one characteristic line from a number of characteristic lines, with the selected characteristic line determining the relationship between the rotation angle and the percentage set value; 
 starting on the CNC control system a program specifying the movement of the tool relative to the workpiece; and 
 changing the feed rate or the spindle rotary speed according to the operating action. 
 
     
     
       13. A CNC control system for controlling a machine tool which comprises a plurality of machine axes configured to displace or rotate a tool inserted into a tool receptacle of a tool spindle relative to a workpiece, the CNC control system comprising an operating facility comprising:
 at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller manually operated by an operator of the operating facility by rotating a rotary knob of the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller and which is configured to be manually set by the operator a feed rate with which the tool is moved relative to the workpiece or a rotary speed of the tool spindle, and 
 a graphical user interface configured to set an effect of an operating action on the feed rate or the spindle rotary speed carried out by the operator using the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller, wherein actuation of the at least one endlessly rotatable rotary controller sets a rotary angle of the rotary knob, and wherein for the setting the effect of the operating action, a relationship between a rotation angle and a percentage set value is specified by a characteristic line, with the percentage set value determining a relationship between a programmed feed rate or a programmed spindle rotary speed and an actual feed rate or an actual spindle rotary speed, wherein the operator selects in a selection menu of the graphical user interface one characteristic line from a number of characteristic lines, with the selected characteristic line determining the relationship between the rotation angle and the percentage set value.